Campaign Update #1

Four very exciting days for #ThereForME

A big hello to all of our new subscribers! You’ll hear from us again in a few days with our next proper post (it’s a good ‘un). We’ll be aiming for a post per week but we’ll see how it goes.

For now, we wanted to share an update from #ThereForME HQ from four busy first days of our new campaign. We’ve been blown away by the support. So many people have shared the campaign and reached out to us. It’s been incredible.

As we start this new adventure, we want to make sure we’re keeping you in the loop.

So, four days in - how’s it going? Not too bad we think.

#ThereForME in numbers

• 1,226 signatures (and counting!) on our open letter from patients and carers to Wes Streeting.

• 2.4k views of the #ThereForME campaign page.

• 600 clicks on Building an NHS that’s there for Long Covid and ME (our new policy brief).

• 178 new Substack subscribers (welcome!)

• 15 parliamentary questions drafted up. We’re trying to get one tabled before recess (if you can help, reach out!), if not we’ll have them ready to go for September.

• Six Ministers and a Secretary of State who have a copy of our policy brief in their inboxes (don’t worry, we’ll be reminding them).

• Three new organisations on board to support (bringing us up to a nice round 18) - a big welcome to Co-EQ, Supporting Healthcare Heroes UK and Hope 4 ME Fibro Northern Ireland.

• One tired, but very satisfied, co-founder (Karen) - who is going away for a well-deserved holiday on Monday.

One of the quotes that stuck with me from our recent #ThereForME survey summed up how I’ve often felt in the past few years of Long Covid and ME hell. So few of us have the energy to push for more help. No one is listening.

After the past few days we’re feeling increasingly confident in saying: they’ll be listening soon.

Until next time.